Robert l



uNrrED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE;

-EBEET L. ToLsoN, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE,v AssIGNoE, EY AMEsNE ASSIGNMENTS,

` To JOHN w. EAELEY, TRUSTEE, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE I f iTnacTon.

15,308. K original No. iaaias,

l j for reissue tiled 0ctober21, 1920. .Serial No. 418,603. f Y

To all whoni z't may concern.'

Be it known vthat I, ROBERT L. ToLsoN, la

citizen of they United States, residin at Memphis, in the county of helby 'and' tate of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to. a primarily designed for use upon a farm to replace horses or mules, and the primary object of the invention is to providev a tractor structure of the four wheel drive type which is also constructed so that bothl the front and rear wheels may be steered in unison whereb the tractor may be turned ina relatively s ort s ace.

More speciiically, the object of this invention is to provide a tractor structure including a supporting'frame which is carried byY arrangemnet of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyin drawings and claimed.

In de'scrl ing the invention in det-ail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like 'characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tractor having parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through .the tractor. Y

Figure 3l isa fragmentary side-elevation of the tractor showing a radius rod attached to the front axle structure, andy Figure 4 is a viewofa draw bar which is attached to the tractor structure.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,`1 designates the front arch axle of the tractor and 2 designates the rear arch axle. These archaxles may be made of channel iron or any Similar material and they are tractor which is I arched to allow the tractor to pass Aover corn or other growing cropsI when it is used for drawlng a cultivator.

The supporting frame 3 of the tractor is Specification ot B .eissued Letters Patent. Reissued DIal. 14, 1922. A dated- November 25, 1919, Serial No. 211,371, led January 11, 1918. Application xed rigidlyto the rearraxle 2 as shown in Figure 3 and is connected'to thefront axle l by a horizontal pivot member or king-bolt* (not shown) passing through the middle of the U-shaped body member of the axle and 1t supports an engine or motor 4 of any standard make which is connected to a gear shift structure 5 of the ordinary construetion. The gear shift structure 5 is connected to the main drive shaft 6 of the tractor through the medium of a silent chain 7. The

. shaft 6 is composed of sections 8 and 9 which lare connected by a universal joint'lO. The shaft sections 8 and 9 are inclosed in suitable casings 11 and they extend longitudinally of the frame ofthe tractor. The shaft section 8 has its rear end connected to an ordinary differential gear structure 12 while the forward end of the shaft section 9 is connected to an ordinary differential gear structure 13. The rear arch axle 2 has a pair of castings 14and 15 attached to the louter sides of the lower ends o f the. legs of the same andthese castings include horizontally extending bearing arms 16. The horizontal bearing arms i 16 rotatably support the vertical portions 17 of stub shafts 18 upon the spindles 19 of Whlch are mounted the rear supporting wheels 20 of the tractor. The rea-r supportlng wheels20 of the .tractor have bevel gears 21 attached thereto which mesh with gears 22. The gears 22 are mounted upon the lower ends of hollow shafts 23 and these shafts have beveled gears 24 mounted upon their vupper end. The vertical hollow shafts 23 are supported by suitable bearings 25 which are attached in any suitable manner as shown at 26 to the arch axle 2. The beveled gears 24 mesh with beveled gears 27 which are carried by the shafts 28 and 29 that are operatively connected to the shaft section 8 through the differential gear structure 12. Suitable housings 30 inclose the shafts 28 and 29.

Vertical shafts 30 extend through the hollow shafts 23 and have their lower ends connected to the Stub axles 18. Arms 31 are connected to theupper end of the shaft 30 and to a cross rod 32. The cross rod 32 face of the same which mesh 'with t e teeth A 34iof a gear35. The gear 35 is carriedby the steering post or shaft 36. The steering post 36 is supported bysuitable bearings 37 and it has a steering Wheel 38 positioned upon the rear end of the same which is positioned in ,close proximity to the seat 39 so that the operator of the tractor may conveniently reach the steering Wheel 38 from the seat 39 forsteering the tractor.

The front supporting Wheels 4 0 are driven 4`from the shaft section 9 in identically the same manner in whichV the` rear supporting Wheels A aredriven and `they areY steered yby vertical shafts 41 which extend through the hollow operating shaft of the front gears and have arms 42 connected to their upper ends.

The arms 42 are connected to a cross f rod 43 which has rack teeth 44 formed upon its upper surface that mesh with a gear carried by theforward end of the steering ing shovel` gangs. or any, other agricultural implements suitable to be connected in this manner to the tractor and the rear arch axle 2 has a pair of eye bolts 46 carried thereby l to which a` draw bar 47, as illustrated iii Figure 4 of the'dravvingsmay be connected to provide means for connecting the tractor to a Wagon, grain drills or similar devices.

A radius iod 48 isconnected to the front axle 1 by a ball andsocket joint 49 and to `a bracket 50 depending from a side member of frame 3 by a second ball and socket joint 51. Preferably there Awill be bracket and g radius rod fory each side of the front axle.`

A7When the `tractor passes over rough ground the front axle can pivot to' a'liinited extent on the king-bolt independently of the rear axle 2 and frame 3and parte` carried thereby, thus avoiding rocking ofthe frame andl straining of its parts such as would take place if the Whole were rigid. Such a `horizontal pivot structure for the axle of a vehicle has been used prior to my invention, and details thereof are not claimed in this application.

It will be readily understood that the braces 50 andradius-rods 48 will prevent the frontaxle from rocking in a direction longitudinally of the machine, which would have a tendency to break the king-bolt, While y they permit limited free rocking of tneaxle transversely of the machine. In this Way any Wheel may descend into a depression in the' ground independently of the others ankh -if it is on the front axle, this will swing on the king-bolt, While if it is on the rear axle the entire body cansag at one side, the

front of the body pivoting fon the king-bolt and the brace and radius-rod pushing or pulling on the front axle as necessary to hold it at the `proper angle to the body.

From the foregoing description taken in connection With the accompanying drawings the advantages of construction and the method ofoperaton of the improved tractor will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing description, the

principle of the operation of this invention has been kdescribed together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterations arev comprehended Within the scopel of what is claimed. v

1. In a tractor, an axle having an' integral inverted U-shaped body with' flanges extending therefrom, separa te bearing brackets on, said shoulders 'having flanges matching those of the body member and secured therefto,.the lower surface of each of said brackets corresponding in shape to that of .the

shoulder and extending from a point abovey the shoulder'to a point'beloiv the same, thus forming a re-enforcenienty for the shoulder of the axle, substantially'as set` forth.

Q. ln a tractor, an inverted U-shaped axle, separate bearing brackets having bases conforming to therespective shoulders of the U-shaped member andv rigidly attached thereto, eachl bracket covering the corresponding shoulder and acting to re-enfo'rcc the same, substantially as set forth. o

3. In a tractor structure, an inverted U- shaped axle and separate bearing brackets 4covering and permanently secured rto the shoulders of the axle, each of said brackets having aflaterally extendingr arm with an integral annular bearing 'for a vertical shaft and also havingan upwardly extending arm and a differential gearing supported above the axle on said arms, traction Wheels on the axle geared to said vertical shafts, and said vertical shafts being geared to the oppositely extending shafts of said differential gearing, substantially as set forth. i

4. In a tractor struct-ure, an inverted, U-` shaped axlemembcr. separate brackets attached to each shoulder of the VU-shaped member and covering the shoulder toA reenforce the axle at this point, and brackets attached to each side portion atits lower extremity, the upper brackets having .each anupvvardly extending arm and an outwardly extending ar1n,"a power transmitting shaft supported on the upper arms and a power transmitting shaft supported` in bearings on the brackets at each side of the axle, the latter shafts being geared-tof the first and to the driving Wheels.

5. In a tractor, front and rear sets of Wheels, axles therefor carrying bearings, hollow shafts in the bearings having means for driving each wheel, a shaft concentric with each hollow shaft carryin a stub shaft for steering the adjacent whee a rock arm at the upper end of each of the second set of` shafts, bars connecting the front and rear pairs of'rock arms, and a steering shaft of the lower bracket and carrylng a driving a traction wheel, a second s aft exFV connected to both bars and having a steering wheel at' the rear of the tractor, substan- 'tially asset forth.

6. In;j a tractor structure, an inverted U- shaped axle, a pair of brackets at each side thereof, the lower brackets each having two projecting bearings, a hollow .driving shaft extending through the bearing of the upper bracket and resting on the upper bearifng ar or tending through the hollow shaft and the bearings of the lower bracket, and a rock arm on the second shaft between the bearings 'of the lowerfbra'cket, said rock arm ca ryng and steering said traction wheel.

7. In a'tractor structure, an inverted U. shapedaxlahaving ran uppe'r unitary bear-v ing sleeve and a pair of spaced lower unitary bearing sleeves, a hollow shaft journaled in the upper bearing sleeve and carrying a ear resting thereon 'and a second ar resting'on oneof the lower sleeves aI adapted yto mesh with agear on a traction wheel to drive the same, substantially as set forth.

8. In a tractor structure, an inverted U- shaped'axle having an upper unitary bearing sleeve and a pair of spaced lower uni- Vbearingsleeves and "tary bearing and concentric driving and steering shafts for said wheels supported in said bearings, one shaft exten through one of said bearin and the ot er through both, substantia ly as set forth.

10. In a tractor, an-inverted U-shaped axle, upper and lower annular bearings pnl)` jecting laterally therefrom, wheels on the axles and concentric driving :and steering shafts for said wheels supported in saida shaft at each side of bearin comprisi'n Iirough said upper and the ax e passing t lowerbearings and a hollow shaft passing through the upper bearing only, substantially as set forth.

11. In a tractor structure, a pair of arched 66 axles,'means rigidly connecting the axles together, spindles pivotally carried by the i ower ends of the arched axles, wheels rotatably mounted on the spindles, shafts siecured to the spindlesnd extending above the arched axles,l means connecting the forward and rear' pairs of shafts together, a steering shaft extending longitudinally of the tractor structure, a steering Wheel keyed to the near end of said steering shaft, and means operatively connecting the steering shaft with the means connecting the forward and rear pairs of said spindle carried shafts as and for the purpose specied.

12. n a tractor, a main frame, a pair of inverted U-shaped axles on the frame,trac

tion wheels on each axle, common means to Steer all the wheels and common means to drive all the wheels including driving and vsteering devices for each set of wheels located at the outer sides of the corresponding axle, and longitudinal connections therebetween located above the level of the axles, substantially .as set forth.

13. In'a tractor, a main frame, a pair of inverted U-shaped axles on the frame, stub axles projecting from each U-shaped axle, traction wheels thereon, a common steering shaft for all the wheels located above the level of the upper portions of the axles, a. common driving shaft similarly located, and connections extending from said shafts along the outer sides of the axles to the individual wheels, substantially as set forth.

14. In a tractor, a main frame, a pair of inverted U-shaped axles 'on the frame, stul33'1o0 axles projecting from each U-shaped axle', traction wheels thereon and means for steer` ing and drlving the wheels oneach axle, com

prising a steering shaft extending longitudinally of the tractor above the level of the axles, a driving shaft similarly located, concentric vertical vshafts at each side of each axle, one of said shafts,V being connected to the steering shaft and to a stub axle and the other being connected to the driving shaft and having driving connection with the Wheel on said stub axle, substantially as set forth.

15. In a tractor, a main frame, a pair of in'erted U-shaped axles on the frame, stub axles projecting from each U-shaped axle, traction wheels thereon and means for steering and driving the wheels on each axle, comcentric shafts for' driving the traction 16. In a tractonl-a main frame, a pair of U-s'haped axles en the frame, a palr-'of concentrie shafts journaled at each side of each my handy and seal at Memphis, Tennessee, axle, one of said concentric shafts lcarrying this 23 day of September, A5 D., nineteen 'Y a gen1' and the other a stub-axle, and a trachundred andV twenty.' tion wheel on each stub-axle Carrying a drivf OBERT L. TOLSON. [L. s.] 5 ing geur meshing with said first-named gear, Witnesses:

substantially as set forth. JOHN W. FARLEL' In Witness whereof, vIjhave hereunto 'set A F M.BA1LEY. 

